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George Zimmerman injured in shooting

George Zimmerman, who won a controversial acquittal in the 2013 shooting death of Trayvon Martin, was involved in a Florida shooting Monday, local media were reporting. Lake Mary Police Chief Steve Bracknell

George Zimmerman injured in shooting

George Zimmerman, the man acquitted for killing unarmed teenager Trayvon Martin in 2012, was shot at by a man in Lake Mary, Florida. Hear the 911 call from the incident.
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In this handout photo provided by Seminole County Sheriff`s Office, George Zimmerman poses for a mug shot photo after being arrested and booked into jail at the John Polk Correctional Facility January 9, 2015 in Sanford, Florida.(Photo: Handout, Getty Images)

George Zimmerman, who won a controversial acquittal in the 2012 shooting death of Trayvon Martin, was slightly injured Monday when he was shot at while driving his pickup truck in Central Florida, authorities said.

The incident appeared to involve a man with whom Zimmerman had a previous road rage encounter, Matthew Apperson, police said.

Zimmerman, 31, was not struck by a bullet but was hit in the face by flying glass and debris, said his lawyer, Don West. He was treated for minor injuries and released from Central Florida Regional Hospital in Sanford following the incident in Lake Mary, Fla.

West said Zimmerman did not draw his weapon and was trying to get away when a shot was fired.

Lake Mary police spokeswoman Bianca Gillett said an investigation was in its "preliminary stage'' and that no charges have been filed. Zimmerman did not fire a weapon, she said.

She said that Zimmerman flagged down an officer to report the shooting shortly before 1 p.m., and that Apperson called 911 to report the shooting.

Last September, Apperson said Zimmerman threatened to kill him, asking "Do you know who I am?" during a confrontation in their vehicles. Apperson did not pursue charges, and police officers were unable to move forward without a car tag identified or witnesses, Associated Press reported.

Zimmerman, who no longer lives in Central Florida, was in town for Mother's Day and on his way to a doctor's appointment when Apperson began following him, West said. He said Apperson followed Zimmerman and at one point stuck his head out of his car and yelled, West said.

Soon after, Zimmerman made a U-turn in an attempt to get away, West said. Apperson also made a U-turn and followed Zimmerman for several seconds, the lawyer said.

"As they were headed the other direction, he (Apperson) pulled up alongside George's vehicle, pulled a gun and fired a shot into the interior compartment of the vehicle," West said. "He broke the passenger window and the bullet lodged inside somewhere up where George was sitting."

"It was terrifying," West said, describing Zimmerman as being "almost killed.''

"There's really no explanation, I don't think, for what this guy did," West said. "I don't know what his intent was.''

Gillett said at a late afternoon briefing that investigators were awaiting the arrival of attorneys before questioning the two men.

Mark NeJame said he had been hired to represent Apperson, the Orlando Sentinel reported. NeJame deflected questions about what led to the shooting as he entered police headquarters late Monday, the newspaper said.

"I was contacted by the family and we immediately sent word out to law enforcement and the State Attorney's Office that we were invoking his right to remain silent, his constitutional right, which is protocol and appropriate," NeJame said.

The shooting occurred along a section of Lake Mary Boulevard. Lake Mary Police Department tweeted that it was "responding to a shooting involving George Zimmerman."

TV news images showed what appeared to be a single bullet hole in the passenger side window of a pickup truck said to be Zimmerman's.

Lake Mary Police Chief Steve Bracknell said the shooting may have involved an "ongoing dispute" he did not detail.

Zimmerman, was a neighborhood watch volunteer when he encountered Martin, a black, unarmed 17-year-old, in Zimmerman's gated community in Sanford, Fla., on Feb. 26, 2012. The tragedy that ensued set off protests across the nation and thrust "stand-your-ground" laws into the public spotlight.

Lawyers for Zimmerman, who is Latino, opted for a more traditional self-defense argument. He was acquitted in July, setting off another round of protests.

Zimmerman has had several brushes with the law since his acquittal in July 2013. In January he was accused of assault by a girlfriend, but she recanted and no charges were filed.

In September 2013, his estranged wife, Shellie, called 911 claiming he had punched her father and was threatening her with a gun. She did not press charges. Two months later, Zimmerman was arrested and accused of domestic violence by girlfriend Samantha Scheibe. Scheibe dropped the charges.

West said he is Zimmerman lives at an undisclosed location.

"Since the Trayvon Martin incident, he's always had reason to be afraid," West said of Zimmerman. "I was hoping after the federal government chose not to pursue the civil rights charges that it would sort of quietly go away and that he would be able to live a more normal life. But, obviously that's not the case."

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George Zimmerman, right, walks in handcuffs during a first appearance at the Seminole County Courthouse in Sanford, Fla., Jan. 10. Prosecutors said he would not be tried on aggravated-assault charges because a witness recanted her statement against him. Stephen M. Dowell, Orlando Sentinel, AP

In this July 9, 2013 file photo, George Zimmerman leaves the courtroom for a lunch break his trial in Seminole Circuit Court, in Sanford, Fla. He was arrested Friday night on charges of aggravated assault with a weapon. Joe Burbank, AP

In this Monday, June 24, 2013 file photo, George Zimmerman, left, arrives in Seminole circuit court with his wife, Shellie, on the 11th day of his trial, in Sanford, Fla. George Zimmerman's wife filed for divorce Thursday, Sept. 5, 2013, less than two months after her husband was acquitted of murdering Trayvon Martin and a week after she pleaded guilty to perjury in his case. Joe Burbank, AP